Self-winding watch



May 2, 1933. R. ANNEN LQQKEZYQ SELF WINDING WATCH Filed Nov. 16, 1931 if? Ive 722w; F73, barf 7%:217

Patented May 2, 1933 UNETED STATES FATE? FFICE ROBERT ANNEN, 0F BIENNE, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 LA CHAMPAGNE WATCH 00., LOUIS MULLER & CO. LTD., "OF BIENNE, S'W'ITZERLAND SELF-FINDING WATCH Application filed November 16, 1931, Serial No. 575,378, and in Germany January 8, 1931.

The present invention relates to what are known in the trade as self-winding watches, more particularly wrist watches, and concerns essentially the improvement of the winding mechanism thereof.

I have found that by the provision of mechanism giving rise to a substantially straight line or rectilinear movement of the watch movement relative to the case, the desired winding action is greatly enhanced, without injury to the movement itself. In particular, I have found a resiliently mounted parallelogram mounting to be especially eflicacious, the watch movement being pivotally mounted in such parallelogram mechanism, the said mechanism in turn being pivotally mounted on the case encompassing the watch movement. As a possible refinement of my invention there is contemplated the use of resilient means for preventing abrupt contact between the case and the arms defining the parallelogram at the extreme positions of the latter, although it is intended that the said arms themselves usually will be formed of resilient material.

The winding mechanism proper preferably consists of a rack pivoted to the case and whichis yieldingly urged against a suitable ratchet wheel fixed to the watch movement, and which wheel is movable relative to the rack as an incident to displacement of the watch movement in the case. This ratchet wheel, which of course can move in one direction only, transfers the motion imparted to it by its reactionwith said rack, to a main spring, through any suitable intermediate train of gears, which may if desired, and in order to prevent undue tensioning of the spring, have a suitable friction clutch of conventional type located therein.

It is of course, obvious that somewhat similar results could be obtained by fixing the watch movement to the case and mounting the rack on the parallelogram movement, and it is intended that the invention cover this ex pedient, as well as that to be more fully discussed by way of example hereinafter.

It is significant to note that by my invention, it is possible to place the ratchet wheel in a relatively safe position towards the center of the movement, and still obtain a proper winding action due to the rectilinear travel of the movement, rather than to place it in a comparatively exposed position adjacent the periphery of the movement as was necessary hitherto.

One of the objects of my invention, therefore, is to produce a new and improved form of self-winding watch.

Another object is to produce a self-winding watch in which the movement is adapted for limited movement in a substantially rectilinear direction relative to the watch case.

Another objectis to produce a self-winding watch containing means for imparting limited, rectilinear motion to the watch movement relative to the case.

Another object is to produce a self-winding watch containing parallelogram means for imparting limited, rectilinear motion to the watch movement relative to the case.

Another object is to produce a self-winding watch containing a resilient-armed parallelogram means for imparting limited, rec tilinear motion to the watch movement relative to the case.

Another object is to produce a self-winding watch containing a parallelogram means for imparting limited, rectilinear motion to the watch movement relative to the case, and having resilient means for preventing injurious contact of the arms of the parallelogram with the case at the extreme positions of the former.

Another object is to produce self-winding watch having a new and improved winding mechanism.

Still another object is to produce a selfwinding watch having a rack past which travels in a substantially rectilinear path a cooperating ratchet in the gear train of the watch movement.

Yet another object is to produce a selfwinding watch in which the winding ratchet is located interiorly of and comparatively remotely from the periphery of the movement.

Other objects and advantages will more fully appear hereinafter.

One form of my invention will be discussed, merely by way of example, in connection with the accompanying drawing, where- 1n:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in section and part1 in plan, taken on line II of Fig. 2, and s owing an assembled form of the invention; while Figure 2 is a transverse cut, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken on line IIII of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the case 4 is shown as containing the watch movement, in which latter, for the sake of clarity, non-essential elements have been omitted. The movement 5 is preferably attached to a suitable retaining ring 6, shown as having two outwardly extending lugs or shoulders 7, each of which in the preferred instance is pivotally connected by means such as screws 9 with a pivoted lever 8 which may be formed of resilient material.

In turn, these levers 8 are preferably mounted in pivotal relation with the case 4, by means such as screws 9' cooperating with upstanding columns 10. The two pivoted levers 8 cooperate to form a substantially parallelogram-shaped guide in which the watch movement 5 is mounted for limited movement in a substantially rectilinear, parallel direction relative to the longitudinal extent of the case 4, as an incident to the inertia-controlled travel of the pivotally mounted parallelogram mechanism relative to the case 4.

As will be seen, the stroke of the levers 8 I is limited by the end walls of the case 4 against which they strike resiliently. To render the protection of the movement doubly certain, however, it is contemplated that weak return springs 12 be provided. tending to return the movement into its equilibrium position, although ordinary special rebound means, such as coils, rubber cushions, etc. are usually unnecessary.

Inasmuch as Fig. 1 illustrates the device from the bottom side. the hands and dial are invisible.

Suitable hand setting means are provided, such as a pin or stem 13 having thumbprojection 14. and extending through a suitable elongated slot in the case 4.

The actual winding mechanism preferably takes the form of a rack 15 pivotallv mounted at 16 to the case 4. and which, under the influence of means such as a spring 17 constantly tends to engage the teeth of a corresponding ratchet wheel 18, this latter preferably being limited to single-direction rotation by means of a detent 19.

The ratchet wheel 18 is shown as having a inion 20 keyed thereto, which in turn is illustrated as coacting with a transmission gear 21, the corresponding pinion 22 of which may engage a winding wheel 23, coupled with the main-spring, not shown.

The ratchet wheel 18 or winding wheel 23,

or both, are actuated as as incident to relative displacement of the Watch movement 4 and the rack 15, either by reason of shocks to which the watch is subjected or by a change in its position. It is contemplated that excess tension of the main spring can be avoided by means of suitable conventional devices, such for example as a friction coupling (not shown) between the wheels 18 and 23.

Obviously, as has been fully set forth hereinbefore, it is possible to obtain a somewhat similar action, b reversing the position of the parts, so that the watch movement is fixed to the case, and the rack is mounted on the parallelogram mechanism. It is intended that the invention cover such exemplification as well as all other modifications and ads. tations which will now readily occur to t ose skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A self-winding watch comprising a. watch movement having a spring and a case adapted for relative movement, a plurality of flexible arms each pivoted to both the movement and case, forming a suspension for the case, and for imparting substantially rectilinear motion to a selected one of said movement and case relative to the other as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted to said watch, at the same time resiliently protecting the watch movement at its extreme position in either direction, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring.

2. A self-winding watch comprising a watch movement having a spring and a case adapted for relative movement, a plurality of flexible arms each pivoted to both the movement and case, forming a suspension for the case, and for impartin substantially rectilinear motion to a selec one of said movement and case relative to the other as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted to said watch, at the same time resiliently protecting the watch movement at its extreme position in either direction, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring, said last mentioned means being disposed interiorly of and substantially remotely of the periphery of the movement, in order to protect said means.

3. A self-winding watch comprising a watch movement having a spring, a case, a parallelogram straight line mechanism comprised of flexible arms pivoted to said case and said movement for imparting a substantially rectilinear motion to a selected one of said movement and case relative to the other as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted'to said watch, at the same time resiliently protecting the watch movement, at its extreme position relative to the case in either direction, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring.

4. A self-winding watch comprising a watch movement having a spring, and a case,

a ring encircling said movement and having outwardly extending shoulders thereon, arms pivoted both to the case and to the shoulders at points defining a parallelogram, whereby the watch movement is adapted for limited, substantially rectilinear motion relative to the case as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted to said watch, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring.

5. A self-winding watch comprising a watch movement having a spring, a case, a ring encircling said movement and having outwardly extending shoulders thereon, resiliently pivoted both to the case and to the shoulders at points defining a parallelogram, whereby the watch movement is adapted for limited, substantially rectilinear motion relative to the case as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted to said watch, the said resilient arms at the same time resiliently protecting the Watch movement at its extreme position in either direction relative to the case, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring.

6. A self-winding watch comprising a watch movement having a spring, and a case, a ring encircling said movement and having outwardly extending shoulders thereon, arms pivoted both to the case and to the shoulders at points defining a parallelogram, whereby the watch movement is adapted for limited, substantially rectilinear motion relative to the case as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted to said watch, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring, said means comprising a rack fixed to said case, a corresponding ratchet wheel in said movement with which said rack is adapted to constantly engage, and rotatable in but one direction, and a gear train also in said movement connecting said ratchet wheel and said spring whereby motion imparted to the ratchet wheel due to its reaction with the rack is transmitted to the spring.

7. A self-winding watch comprising a watch movement having a spring, a case, a plurality of arms each pivoted to both the movement and the case, forming a suspension for the movement, and for imparting a substantially rectilinear motion to said movement relative to said case as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted to said watch, the travel of the movement being limited by the transverse walls of the case, spring means at least one end of the case for preventin injury of the movement due to its contact at the end positions of its travel with said transverse walls of the case, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring.

8. A self-winding watch comprising a watch movement having a spring, and a case, a ring encircling said movement and having outwardly extending shoulders thereon, arms pivoted both to the case and to the shoulders at points defining a parallelogram whereby the watch movement is adapted for limited, substantially rectilinear motion relative to the case as an incident to shocks or changes in position imparted to said watch, the travel of A the parallelogram mechanism being limited by the transverse walls of the case, spring means for preventing injury to the mechanism or movement due to the contact of the mechanism at the end position of its travel with said transverse walls of the case, and means for transmitting said motion to said spring.

9. A self-winding watch in which the watch movement forms the winding weight, comprising a plurality of elastically flexible links or arms pivoted to the watch movement and to the case of such movement in such manner as to form a parallelogram guide for the motion of the movement relative to the case, the said flexible links acting as shock absorbers.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT ANNEN. 

